Contact catalysis of the initial vapors destructively distilled from hydrocarbonaceous solids to circumvent polymerization and other subsequent liquid phase intermolecula reactions



Aprll 5, 1966 M. G. HUNTINGTON 3,244,615

CONTACT CATALYSIS OF THE INITIAL VAPORS DESTRUCTIVELY DISTILLED FROM HYDROCARBONCEOUS SOLIDS TO CIRCUMVENT POLMERIZATION AND OTHER SUBSEQUENT LIQUID PHASE INTERMOLECULAR REACTIONS Filed sept. e, 1965 MORGAN G. HUNTINGTON MMM/m, m ,s e@

ATTORNEYS 3,244,615 Patented Apr. 5, 1966 United States Patent O "ice CONTACT CATALYSIS 0F THE NITIAL VAPORS DESTRUCTHVELY DIS'HLLED FROM HYDRO- CARBONACEOUS SOLIDS T0 CRCUMVENT PO LYMERIZATIN AND OTHER SUBSEQUENT LIQUED PHASE ENTERMOLECULAR REACTIONS Morgan G. Huntington, Washington, D.C assignor to Pyrochem Corporation, Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation of Utah Coals and other hydrocarbonaceous solids, such as 10 kerogen in oil shale, asphaltenes from petroleum, and bitumen impregnating various hosts, are comprised of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen. These lhydrocarbonaceous substances have been identified as 5 compounds having molecular weights in the orde-r of Filed Sept. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 367,162 The portion of the term ofthe patent subsequent to Oct. 8, 1980, has been diselaimed 4 Claims. (Cl. 208-97) This application is a continuation-impart of my copeuding applications Serial Nos. 266,255 Quadri-Phase Low Pressure Method for Partial Liquefaction of Coal,

a 10,000. Oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen combined in chemiled March 19, 1963, Serial No. 45,038, Method `for the f Production of Light Oils from Oil Shale Through the Recally functonal groups Suc? Las OH CO COOH NHZ combination of Hydrogen Originally Contained Therein, CN S SH etc Occur as megral Parts 0f 'the Orlgmal filed July 25, 1960, now Us. Patent No. 3,106,521, and moleeules- Serial No. 41,679, Method for the Continuous Distilla- 20 AS im example 0f the Complex hlgh molecular Welght tion of Coal and Other Hydrocarbonaceous Materials and Compounds found in a typical cross-bonded structure of for the Autogenous Hydrogenation of the Condensible high volatile coals, see the following formula:

CROSS BONDING TO MORE HETERGCYCLIC GROUPS TzTetrahedral 3 dimensional C-C bonds, C O bonds and C-S bonds.

RNzAlkyl side chain of N cal-bons.

RlNzUnsaturated alkyl side chain of N carbons.

CBzCross bonding by 0 or S to new heteroeyclic groups with side chains.

When such large, complex molecules are destructively distilled by whatever means, about half of the liquid condensate is constituted of high boiling compounds having a molecular weight in the range of 1000 to 5000, or even higher. The composition of such heavy distillate is closely related to that of the substance from which it was distilled in that it contains oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen in about the same proportions as in the original compounds. Due to the intermolecular activity imparted by oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen and the :high proportion of unsaturated hydrocarbons, t-he molecular weight changes from minute to minute and such instability may persist for years. However, if all olefins are promptly saturated and all oxygen is immediately removed from organic combinations, I have found that the primary liquid is entirely stable even though substantial amounts of sulfur and nitrogen remain and l have found that the average molecular weight lies between 110 and 150 when distilled below 950 F. with minimal thermal exposure at any pressure provided contact catalysis is immediately performed upon the initial vapor phase distillate. Sulfur and non-cyclic nitrogen (that is, nitrogen not chemically combined 1n a heterocyclic ring system) removal as hydrides lowers the average molecular weight somewhat farther.

A very great deal has been written by investigators of the thermal destructive distillation of coal and kerogen in oil shales and of the destructive hydrogenation of both, and many distillation processes have been proposed. However, all such processes (except those described in my copending patent applications No. 45,038 and No. 41,679, both allowed, and No. 266,255), have in common one pre-eminently defeating shortcoming 1n that about half of the condensate is nearly as complex and refractory as the original substance from which 1t was distilled and, therefore, cannot command a price commensurate with the cost of processing.

Evidently, the sooner that the primary vapors of destructive distillation can be entrained in hydrogen and brought into .contact with a suitable catalyst, such as cobalt molybdate supported on alumina, the less chemically complex and the more useful and valuable 1s the primary condensate.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to stabilize 'the condensable volatiles by contact catalysis at the earliest possible moment while in the initialvapor phase immediately following destructive distillation by whatever method, and irrespective of pressure, so long as the vapor phase is maintained.

It is a further object of this invention to cause the volatile stream, mixed with or entrained vin one to seven mol volumes of hydrogen per mol of reactive unsaturates to vpromptly come in contact with a sutiicient volume of `suitable solid catalyst in order that all reactive olens become immediately saturated.

It is a further object of this invention that the volatile stream with tone to seven mols of hydrogen per mol of oxygenated compound lbe brought in contact with a suitable solid catalyst of sufilcient volume that substantially all organic oxygen be removed at H2O vapor and, therefore, that all tar acids be destroyed at the earliest possible instant completing the stabilization of the subsequently condensed liquid.

It is also an object of this invention to remove surur from organic combinations as HZS and non-cyclic nitrogen as ammonia, provided that there be suicient hydrogen dilution, catalyst volume and pressure to accomplish such organic removal while in the initial vapor phase.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in `the accompanying drawings.

In the drawing, the single ligure is a diagrammatic ow sheet presentation of the inventive concept.

Referring to the drawing, coal or oil shale (primarily kerogen), or asphaltenes or any other initially solid hydrocarbonaceous material containing carbon, hydrogen, oxy-` gen, sulfur and nitrogen, is introduced schematically at 10 to a suitable distillation means 12. The distillation means may be any suitable type of distillation means, either that previously known in the published art or that shown in my copending applications Serial Nos. 45,038 m2665255 mentioned above, or in my issued US. Patent No. 2,969,266.

'While in the distillation means the initially solid hydrocarbonaceous materials are subjected to thermalexposure to distill volatiles therefrom with a minimum of thermal alter-ation beyond the initial pyrolysis of the original solid material. The distilled matter will be in the 'vapor phase and will include permanent gases and condensable vapors. These primary volatile products of distillation may be withdrawn from the distillation means through line 14. The solids which are products of the distillation may be removed from the distillation means as indicated schematically at 16. The requisite Vheat for providing the thermal exposure is illustrated diagrammatically at 18 as a heat input to the distillation means.

Hydrogen, referably preheated, is provided from a suitable source 20 and may either be introduced into the distillation means 12 together with the solid carbonaceous materials through line 22 or may be directly introduced into vapor phase output line 14 through line 24. A valve 26 is shown as controlling the path of the hydrogen. If.

the hydrogen is sufficiently preheated to furnish the thermal input from the thermal exposure in the distillation means, of course, this would replace the source of heat illustrated schematically at 18.`

The vapors from the distillation together with the hydrogen are then passed through line 26 to a solid contact catalyst chamber 28 while still in the initial vapor phase. The initial vapor phase products of the pyrolysis have been thermally split from the large ycomplex molecules having molecular weight in the order of 10,000 into smaller fragments which are molecules having a molecular weight less than 300. However, these smaller molecules are highly reactive for two primary reasons. First, because the unsaturation of the hydrocarbons, ie., olelins, therein, and second because of the presence of oxygen 1n organic combination. vapor phase products with hydrogen While they are still in the initial vapor phase, and passing them across a solid contact catalyst, the unsaturated hydrocarbons will be saturated, i.e., the olefins will be saturated to paraffins. Also, the oxygen may be removed as water vapor and the tar acids, such as phenol, destroyed That is, the purpose of the solid contact catalyst chamber 28 is to saturate the olefins and remove organic oxygen as water from the initial vapor phase products of distillation. This eifeetively prevents inter-reaction of the Vcompounds in the distillate and the resulting formation of large molecules.

The vapors from the contact catalyst chamber 28 pass out through line 30 where they are subjected to temperature control in heat exchanger 32 and then may pass to a second solid contact catalyst chamber 34. The solid catalyst in chamber 34 is contacted with the vapors for the completion of the removal of oxygen as water and further for partial removal of noncyclic organic nitrogen as NH3 `and partial removal of organic sulfur as H25. The vapors from chamber 34 maybe taken off line 36 through temperature control 38 and if desired passed to a further solid catalyst chamber 40. Solid catalyst chamber 40 will be used if the system `pressure were greater than p.s.i.a. and 4its purpose is to further accomplish sulfur removal to less than 100 p.p.m. and nitrogen removal excepting hetrocyclic compounds. The vapors from this catalyst chamber, or directly from catalyst chamber 34, may then be passed to a primary fractionator42 and the condensed products therefrom will be in the form of stabilized liq- However, by combining the t uids from line 44 which may be passed to secondary fractionator with reboiler and gases which are passed via line 46 to conventional gas scrubbers.

The contacting of the hydrogen entrained vapor phase volatiles with the solid catalyst while still in a vapor phase prevents polymerization and other subsequent liquid phase intermolecular reactions. The contacting with the catalyst can be accomplished at a sufficiently rapid rate by contacting the hydrogen entrained vapors over solid catalysts such as cobalt molybdate supported on alumina. The size and other parameters of the catalytic treatment including the liquid hourly space velocity and the catalyst contact time are chosen such that the olens will be saturated and the oxygen in organic combination substantially removed from the particular distillate from the solid hydrocarbonaceous input material.

Furthermore, the particular distillation means, catalyst chambers, fractionators or heat exchangers, etc., used in this invention are of the type that are previously known in the art and the invention does not 4reside in particular apparatus but rather in the passing of the volatiles from thermal distillation of an initially solid hydrocarbonaceous material while these volatiles are still in their initial vapor phase over ya suitable solid catalyst, to saturate the unsaturated hydrocarbons and to remove the oxygen in organic combination and thereby to stabilize the subscquently condensed liquid.

A discussion of catalytic hydrogenaton olens does not take place spontaneously because the'f amount of energy required to break a pi bond in thel olefin or a sigma bond in hydrogen is too great. However, in the presence of a suitable catalyst the reaction proceeds rapidly to completion if heat is removed to hold the temperature at a suitably low level.

The mechanism of catalytic hydrogenation may be explained as a surface phenomenon in which the hydrogen molecule is adsorbed and, in effect, disassociated to atomic hydrogen. Likewise, the olefin is adsorbed to give a free biradical. Reaction of the atomic hydrogen and the free biradical leaves an adsorbed hydrogen atom and an adsorbed free radical. Further reaction gives a saturated hydrocarbon which is subsequently desorbed from the catalytic surface.

As an example of the saturation of an olefin,

LHexane Hvdroaen n-Hexan e This is the typical example of the hydrogenation of an alkene (olefin) to an alkane (parain) and the equilibrium constant of the hydrogenation reaction is:

(hexane (hexene) (hydrogen) in which the partial pressures of the product and reactants are all first power functions and, therefore, proceed at rates which are relatively independent of pressure.

C resylic Acid Hydrogen Toluene (toluene) (water) (cresylic acid) (hydrogen) in which the partial pressure of the products and reactants are all first power functions, and therefore, oxygen removal also proceeds to completion and is relatively independent of pressure.

In reducing cresylic acid to toluene, the molecular weight of the organic molecule drops from 108 to 92.

(3) The desulfurization of thiophene by catalytic hydrogenation is accomplished as follows:

Thiouhene H drogen Hydrogen Sultide This reaction is typical of the desulfurization of hydro- .carbons and the equilibrium constant K is found to be significant (1(:15 at 980 F.) at relatively low pressures.

The equilibrium constant of the desulfurization reu action is:

(butane) (hydrogen sulfide) (thiophene) (hydrogen)4 In reducing thiophene to butane by hydrogenation, the molecular weight of the organic molecule drops from 84 to 58.

(4) Nitrogen removal by catalytic hydrogenation from carbocyclic compounds such as analine, tolunitriles, etc., is also accomplished under rather mild conditinos. For example, a typical reaction is,

Tolunitrile Xylene Ammonia CH3. C EILCN -I- HFCsHrC H-CHS -l- NH3 Hydrogen line has been 'practiced at Billingham, England, and is Well known. (Please see, Gasoline Produced from Coal Tar Oils, vol. 49 of Industrial and Engineering Chem- -istry, April 1957, pages 673, 678.) High pressure hydrocracking of the heavier hydrocarbons is notiimmediately contemplated as part of the present invention.

It is important to remark that, for the very first time in the long hstory of the development of solid fuel distillation processes, a method is provided by the present invention whereby the yield of liquids under mild operating conditions is at least equal to the maximum volume obtainable from low temperature carbonization assay. At the same time, the character of the final distillate is stable and therefore predictable.

In general, bituminous coal tar and Rocky Mountain shale oil which have not suffered great, and usually accidental, thermal alteration by excessive exposure at temperatures of 900 F. and above have the following approximate composition:

Percent of total distillate Parains (chieiiy cyclic) to 1S Oleinic compounds (withthe reactive double bondsoccurring both in the side chains and in the cyclic nuclei of both the naphthenic The final distillate of this invention from bituminous coal catalyzed under adequate hydrodealkylating conditions may be expected to have the following approximate analysis:

Parains percent 4.0 Olens None Aromatics (average molecular Weight less than percent 95.0 Pitch None Tar acids None Tar bases, chiefly pyridine and quinoline percent 1.0 Sulfur Less than 100 ppm.

In order to illustrate the great chemical complexity of distillate which is produced by conventional processes, and particularly so as to point up the very distinct advantages of immediate stabilization bituminous coal distillate, for example, presented herebelow is a list of the chief organic compounds which have been identified in coal tars and light oils. Several of the compounds listed in column three are recovered commercially in byproduct coke oven practice.

Column one identifies many of the compounds which exist in the Adistillate under -mild vapor phase catalytic conditions. Column eight lists the final products when operating under the most severe hydrorefining and hydrodealkylating catalysis -and indicates the initial compounds from which they are derived.

Mild Conditions Compouid retaine Initial com ound S Compound Classification of Name of compound Compound formula under severe p were condltions appearing in compound group coalstill Final coal still disstraight run conditions M.Pl, C. Boiling tillate coal still point, C. distillate Yes A11-mw Periferie CsHiz.- No 36. 2 Hydrogen, methane,

ethane, etc. Yes Naphthene Cyclopentane. CsHm.. Nn 49 5 D0 `N0 cyclo-'ilwiiil Cycloperiteiie 05H3.. 44. 2 Doi No Alkerie Pentene-l. 05H10. No 29, 9 D0, No dn n-.Hexylerie 00H12. N n 67. 5 Do. 1-3 cyclopentadiene. Cdi N n 42. 5 Do. lAllranev.. n-Hexaue 06H14. No 69. 0 Some benzene. Aromatic- Benzene CnHr Yes.- 5. 5 80. 1 Retained as benzene Naphthene Cylohexane CHm No 81. 4 Benzene.

Thiophene. CARAS No 84.1 B2S -1- butano. Cyclo-olefin Cyclohexene. CiHm.. No 83.0 Benzene.

Diethylsulfde (CzHhS No 92.0 HQS ethane. n-Heptane Cl-Hirn No.. 98. 4 Toluene. ll/Iethyl-cyclohexane CsHMOHa) No 100. 3 Toluene or benzene. Tlningm- CH5(CH 1) Yes -95 110, 6 Toluene or benzene. Naphthene LilDimethyl 057010- CnHio(CHa)z N0 121.0 Xylene to benzene.

exane. Naphthene 1,4i Dmethyl GyClO- CeHi2(CHs)z N0 119.0 Xylene to benzene,

iexane. Yes --dO Cycloheptane- 01H14. Nn lm 1 L. ht l. Yes Wter soluble tar Pyridinc. CsHsN Yes. 115. 3 Pldiiigfmcarbons' ase.

2-methylthiophene CHaCiHaS No 112; 3-methylthiophene CHsCiHaS No 115i Hzsight HC s i Yes" Alkane ii-0vtfine CaHia.- No 125.8 Light HCS.

N0 Alken@ Ootyliii" CsHi-- N0 123 D0. Yes Wiliter soluble tar 2-Pic011ne CHzCaHlN N0 128 Pyrldine.

ase. e No Dimethyl-thiopheuc (CHM C4H2S No 13o-138 H S 1i ht H Yes Aromatic Ethyl benzene CaHsCzHs Yes -93. 9 136.15 Ehyll linzen? t henzene. Yes do P-xylene CHitCHaiz Yes 13,2 138,4 X 1 Yes4 dn M-xylene CoH-:(02592 Y 139. 1 y lor benzene. Ye5 rln O-xylene CGH4(CH3)L 144. 4 D0. No Aroliatic; aryl- Styrene CeHsCHICHi 146 Ethyl benzene or bena ene. yes water soluble tar Dimethyl-pyridines- (CHaii CiHaN No 143-163 Pgiiiiiiiie.

bases., lutldines. Yes Aromatic Isiziropvlbnzene CeHiCHtCHa): No 95, 9 152,4 Benzene or mums uniene Propyl benzene CtHsCHaCzHs No -lOL 6 Toluene or benzene. Ethyl tolueries Toluene or benzene. Trimethyl-thiophene-- HzS-l-liglit HCs. Mesitylene Toluene or benzene. 1,2,4-trirnethyl ben- D0 zene (pseudo- Timing) '1 nop ieno Dicyclo-pentadiene ri-Decane Light HCS. A Coumarorie CH4OCHrCH- Toluene or benzene Aromatic Hemimellitene (CHa)aCsHa No -15 176 Do. do Iso propyl toluene CioHn- No 175-17G Do.

(Cynienes).

Mild Compound Conditions retained Initial compound Severe conditions Compound Classification oi Name of compound Compound formula under severe appearing in compound group coal still Final coal still disstraight run conditions M.P., C. Boiling tillate coal still Y point, C. distillate Alicyclic Indene CaHiCHqCH: CH No -2 182. 4 Benzene. Aromatic. 1,3,diethyl benzene -20 181. 1 Do. Tar acid Phenol 41 182 Do. Aromatlc 1,4,diethyl benzene 183. 7 Do.

-.- do Durene (CHahCiHz 80 194 Toluene, xyleue, or

benzene.

Tar acid O-cresol CH3C6H4OH- 30 191. 5 Toluene or benzene,

No do P-cresnl 36 202. 5 Do. Yes Hydrogenated Tetra hydro-naph- 207. 2 N aphthalene.

naphthaline. thalene. No Tar acid 2,4,xylenol (CHa)zCeH3OH 26 211. 5 Xylene or benzene, N0 Tar base m-Tolunitrle CH3CeH4CN -23 214 NHa-l-xylene 0r ben.

zene. o-Ethyl analine CaHnCHiNHr -43 215 Ethyl benzene or benzene. 2,6, xylenol (CHahCaHaOH 49 212 Xylene or benzene, o 2,5 xylenol (CHgMCuHaOEL- 74.5 211.5 o.

Hydrogenated 1,4 dihydro-naphtha CioHu -43 194. 6 N aphthalene.

naphthaline. iene. No Tar base 2,5 xylidine (CHshCHaNHg No 15. 5 217 NlEIa-l-xylene to enzene. Nn do 2,4 Xylidine (CH3)2CBH3NH2 N0 216 0. Yes Alkann Doder-ina CH3(CH2)10CH3 -12 214 PliiSible ring formaion. No.-. Tar acid m-Ethyl phenol 02H5C5H4OH No -4 214 Etghyl benzene t0 enzene. No Tar basep-Tnlunifrile CHaCeHiCN No 29. 5 217 NHH-xylene to enzene. No Tar acid p-Ethyl phenol CzHaCHiOH No 46 219 Ehyl benzene to enzene. Bicyelic aromatic-. N aphthalene.. 218 Naphthalene. T id- 2 3 218 Xylene to benzene.

219 Do. (CHa)zCiHaNH2 221 NHz-l-xylene to benzene. No Tar acid o-Propyl phenol CsHzCaHiOH 220 Prlgipyl benzene to enzene. No dn Mmm (CHmCtHQOH. 220 Mesitylene to benzene. No Thio nfmhfhalenp CeH4SCH:CH 221 HzS-l-ethyl benzene to benzene. No Tar Base 2,3, xyiidine (CHa)zCtHzNHa 223. 8 N Ha-l-xylene to benzene. No Tar acid 3,4, xylenol (CHa)zCeHsOH 225 Xylene to benzene, No do m-Propyl phenol CzH1CeH4OH- 228 Propyl benzene t0 ben.

zene. p-Isopropyl-phenol.. (CEs)zCHCH4OH- 229 Do. p-Propyl phenol CaHzCalhOH 232 po.

Pseudocumenol (CHQaCeHzOBZ- 235 Mesltilene to benzene. Quinoline CGH4N: CHCH: C 237 Quinoline. 2methylnaphthalene CiuHzCHa 245 Naphthalene. Tar base. Isoqninnlinp CH4CH:NCH: CH- 243 Isoquinoline. do Ouinaldina CHaCgHN 246 Quinoline. do Tienidina CHaCaH 260 Do.

Aromatic Dmethyi-naphtha- C1oH(CHa)z 255-270 Naphthalene.

ene. Acenaphthene CmH(CHz)z 277. 5 Do. Tar acid- 1-naphthol. 288 Do. do 2-naphthol 295 Do.

Alicyclic. Fluorene 295 Two mols benzene or one mol naphthalene B-ring aromatic Phenanthrpne 340 Phenanthrene. do Anthracene- 354 Anthracene. Tar base Acridine CeH4CH2NCsH4 346 Acridine.

dn Carhaznlp CHiNHCeHi N 354 NH3+tW0 mOlS Benzene or one mol naphthalene.

Yes 4-ring aromatic Pyr-ene CuCHm Yes 150 393 Pyrene. Yes do Chrysene-. CuHw Yes 258 448 Chrysene.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for hydrogenation by contact catalysis of Vthe primary vapors destructively distilled from initially solid hydrocarbonaceous materials to circumvent polymerization and other subsequent liquid phase intermolecular reactions in the distillate, comprising; thermally exposing an initially solid hydrocarbonaceous material containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur, to distill therefrom without serious subsequent thermal reaction in the distillate, volatile materials in the vapor phase, the volatile materials including gas and a condensible liquid vapor, contacting hydrogen and the initial vapor phase products while they are still in the initial vapor phase with a suitable solid catalyst in order to saturate the unsaturated, reactive hydrocarbons and to remove organically combined oxygen as water vapor.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the hydrogen is preheated.

3. A method for initial vapor phase catalysis of primary volatile matter destructively distilled from initially solid hydrocarbonaceous materials to prevent polymerization and other detrimental liquid phase intermolecular reactions, the method comprising; providing an initially solid hydrocarbonaceous material of the type containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur, heating the initially solid hydrocarbonaceous material by sufficient thermal exposure to distill vapors therefrom Without thermal alteration in the vapor phase, the initial vapor phase products being split into fragments having molecular weight of less than 300 which are highly reactive because of the unsaturation of the hydrocarbons therein and the presence of oxygen in organic combination, combining hydrogen with the vapor phase product while still in the initial vapor phase, and contacting the mixture of hydrogen and initial vapor phase distillation 1 products with a suitable solid catalyst to accomplish saturation of the olenic hydrocarbons and remove oxygen from organic combination.

4. A method for hydrogenation by contact catalysis of the primary vaporsdestructively distilled'from initially solid hydroearbonaceous materials to circumvent polymerization and other subsequent liquid phase intermolecular reactions in the distillate, comprising; thermally exposing an initially solid hydrocarbonaceous material containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur,l

to distill therefrom without serious subsequent thermal reaction in the distillate, volatile materials in the vapor phase, the volatile materials including gas and' a condensible liquid vapor, introducing hydrogengas into said volatile materials in the vapor phase subsequent to said thermal exposure, contacting the resultingT mixture of hydrogen and the initial vapor phase products While they are still in the initial vapor phase with a'suitable solid catalyst in order to saturate the unsaturated, reactive hydrocarbons and to remove organically combined oxygen aswater vapor, the addition of hydrogen gas being con` ned to a point in the process after the thermalexposing step and before the contacting of the 4mixture of hydrogen and the vapor phase, product with the solid catalyst.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Grimm et al 208-8 Clark et al. 208-11 Gavcher 48-197 Evans 48-197 Johnson et al 202-6 Evans 202-6 Vander Ploeg 48-197 Odell 208-6 Zvejnieks 48-197 Elliott-et al 208-11 Huntington 208-11 Huntington 48-197 FOREIGN PATENTS DELBERT E. GANTZ, Primary Examiner.

ALPHONSO D. SULLIVAN, PAUL M. COUGHLAN,

Examiners.

S. P. JONES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A METHOD FOR HYDROGENATION BY CONTACT CATALYSIS OF THE PRIMARY VAPORS DESTRUCTIVELY DISTILLED FROM INITIALLY SOLID HYDROCARBONACEOUS MATERIALS TO CIRCUMVENT POLYMERIZATION AND OTHER SUBSEQUENT LIQUID PHASE INTERMOLECULAR REACTIONS IN THE DISTILLATE, COMPRISING; THERMALLY EXPOSING AN INITIALLY SOLID HYDROCARBONACEOUS MATERIAL CONTAINING CARBON, HYDROGEN, OXYGEN, NITROGEN AND SULFUR, TO DISTILL THEREFROM WITHOUT SERIOUS SUBSEQUENT THERMAL REACTION IN THE DISTILLATE, VOLATILE MATERIALS IN THE VAPOR PHASE, THE VOLATILE MATERIALS INCLUDING GAS AND A CONDENSIBLE LIQUID VAPOR, CONTACTING HYDROGEN AND THE INITIAL VAPOR PHASE PRODUCTS WHILE THEY ARE STILL IN THE INITIAL VAPOR PHASE WITH A SUITABLE SOLID CATALYST IN ORDER TO SATURATE THE UNSATURATED, REACTIVE HYDROCARBONS AND TO REMOVE ORGANICALLY COMBINED OXYGEN AS WATER VAPOR. 